It seems counter-productive to pour salt water into your nose for health but Indian medicine has proven that washing your nasal passages out with a saline solution prevents allergies and illnesses. A Neti Pot is a small tea pot with a long spout designed to pour a designated amount of saline into your nostril. The water runs from one nostril to the other and out of your body.
This cleansing process allows the cilia in the nose to refresh themselves and function better. It keeps the nasal passages moist and removes particles from the nose. This, in turn, creates a healthier environment in the nose allowing the body a better defense against illness.
Neti Pots are inexpensive gifts and the salt used can be basic table salt, just be sure it's pure salt not supplemented.
Neti Pots come in 3 types - plastic, ceramic and stainless steel. They all work the same and may come in a variety of styles. I, personally, prefer ceramic. I keep my neti pot in my shower to use as I shower. The ceramic will not rust.
Plastic varieties are less expensive but I don't like plastic - if it comes in contact with oil the plastic becomes sticky and difficult to keep clean and research keeps coming out that does not support plastic use. However, that is my opinion.
The pots average about $15.00 and are sold in drugstores and health food stores.
To use: we add 1/4 teaspoon salt to a full pot of water. The temperature of the water should be comfortable. Since I use mine as I shower - the water is fairly warm but seems temperate to my nose. You pour the water into one nostril and let it run out of the other. It does take some practice but over time you should find the product easy to use.
Some that I have found online - I am not promoting any of them just giving examples. You may notice that many come with a salt solution, you do not have to use their solution, plain salt works just fine.:
http://www.walgreens.com/store/catalog/Cough-and-Cold/Neti-Pot/ID=prod26...
http://www.amazon.com/NeilMed-NasaFlo-Unbreakable-Premixed-Packets/dp/B0...
http://www.healthandyoga.com/marketplace/hnydescmp/2/detail.aspx
http://www.swansonvitamins.com/NRL001/ItemDetail?SourceCode=INTL078&CAWE... (okay, I lied - this one I would recommend)

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